Derek held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t—”
She spoke even louder the next time. “‘Yes, because of the beautiful letters you wrote to me.’”
His eyes never left hers.
“‘Yes, because you never backed down to me.’”
Derek’s face softened.
“‘Yes, because you punched a tree.’”
The prince regent nearly spit out his wine. “Punched a tree, Claringdon?”
“Don’t ask,” Derek growled.
Tears tumbled down Lucy’s cheeks. “‘Yes, because you chose the puppy.’”
“I won’t even ask,” the prince said, one royal eyebrow raised.
“‘Yes, because you once challenged me to a word duel and won.’”
Derek’s mouth quirked up in the barest hint of a smile.
“‘Yes, because you hate to drink tea.’”
“So do I.” The prince guzzled more wine.
“‘Yes, because you’re loyal to your friends.’”
“That’s eight!” someone called from the far end of the table.
Lucy swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “‘Yes, because you learned to change your decisions.’”
“Nine!” another voice called.
“‘Yes, because I love you desperately and cannot live my life without you.’”
Derek dropped his napkin onto the table, pushed back his chair, and stood. “Lucy, wait.”
“No. You got to do all the talking last time we had a wager. It’s my turn.”
He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “You don’t need to say any more. You had me at ‘Your Grace.’”
She couldn’t help but smile at that.
“I meant what I said,” Derek continued. “I don’t care if the queen doesn’t approve of you. Or the prince here, either. I’ll renounce my title if I must.”
The prince’s eyes went wide, but he happily slurped more wine.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lucy gave Derek a sidewise smile. “Completely unnecessary, Your Grace.”
Derek furrowed his brow. “What?”
“The queen gave us her blessing.”
“And I do, too, for what it’s apparently worth,” the prince regent added on a hiccup. “This is downright bloody romantic.”
Derek leaped over the table, scooped Lucy into his arms, and spun her around. “Really?”
